Print 1786 - 1854

This print was made by Utagawa Kunisada in Japan, using woodblock printing, a technique known as *ukiyo-e.* The process begins with a drawing, which is then transferred to a wood block, usually cherry. A specialist carver then incises the design. Because this print has many colors, it would have required a separate block for each. The key block, with the outlines, would have been printed first, and then the other colors carefully aligned to it. While *ukiyo-e* prints were relatively inexpensive and available to a wide public, they nonetheless demanded a high degree of skill to produce. The publisher was responsible for coordinating the work of the artist, carver, and printer, each of whom was a specialist. In this division of labor, we can see the emergence of modern systems of production, not unlike the factories that were developing in the West at this time. So, when looking at this print, consider not only the scene represented, but also the many hands that contributed to its making. It's a beautiful example of craft meeting commerce.